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These Small Batch Pickled Beets are a delightful way to get all the health benefits of beets. Blend their sweet and tangy flavor with your salads, sandwiches, or side dishes. This easy refrigerator pickled beets recipe transforms earthy beets into delicious and tender slices with just 5 ingredients.
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Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love this Small Batch Refrigerator Pickled Beets Recipe!
- Ingredients for Small Batch Pickled Beets
- How to Make Refrigerator Pickled Beets?
- Toni’s Tips When Making Small Batch Pickled Beets
- FAQs for Small Batch Pickled Beets
- Storage Instructions for Pickled Beets
- Serving Suggestions for Refrigerator Pickled Beets
- More Ways to Enjoy Beets!
- Small Batch Pickled Beets Recipe
Why You’ll Love this Small Batch Refrigerator Pickled Beets Recipe!
Whether you grow your own beets or pick up a bundle of this superfood at the store, this easy refrigerator pickle recipe is just what you need. A whole batch fits nicely into a quart-size jar! Preserving these ruby gems doesn’t require any special equipment or canning tools. All you need is to keep them in a tightly sealed jar and refrigerate overnight. Then enjoy them as a yummy snack or added to your fav dishes.
Pickled beets is really is one of the yummiest and easiest ways to consume this nutrient power house. Did you know this humble root veg holds almost all the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need? Plus, it contains multiple plant compounds that are medicinal in nature. Beets are linked to lowered blood pressure, reduced inflammation, increased athletic performance, and better digestive and brain health! What’s not to love?
Ingredients for Small Batch Pickled Beets
The amount of ingredients used in this recipe fits a quart jar. You can easily double or triple the recipe’s ingredients if you have more beets to preserve.
- Beets: I used dark ruby red variety for this recipe. I love how stunning they look and how they instantly make any dish stand out! However, feel free to use another color of beets. Though I do not recommend mixing them up in the jar.
- Apple cider vinegar: It has a fruity, mellow flavor that pairs well with spices too. You can use regular white vinegar if that is what you have.
- Water: Used in our brine solution along with vinegar and sugar.
- Granulated sugar: Beets have a very high sugar content and are naturally sweet. So, depending on your preference, you can either omit, lessen or add more sugar.
- Cloves of Garlic: Cuts through all the tanginess and sweetness with its sharp bite.
How to Make Refrigerator Pickled Beets?
Prepare the Beets for Pickling:
Beets can be intimidating to cook and peel because of their tough skin. Not to mention the stubborn stain from its vibrant juices. Follow the steps below for an easier and less messy way to prepare them.
Step 1: First, bring a large pot of cold water and beets to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, simmer and cook beets for 30 minutes or until they pierce easily with a fork. Then, remove the beets from the heat and pour the beets into a colander to drain.
Step 2: Next, peel the beets and slice them into ¼ inch rounds. Then, place them in a quart-size mason jar or glass with a lid.
Create the Brine Mixture:
Step 3: In the same pot or pan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and cloves. Then, bring the mixture to boil over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved.
Step 4: When sugar is fully dissolved, remove it from the heat and pour the mixture into the glass of cooked beets. Then, let it cool down at room temperature and refrigerate.
Toni’s Tips When Making Small Batch Pickled Beets
- Use plastic gloves and an apron when handling the beets. It’s not easy to remove the juice stains from your skin or clothes, especially once they have dried out.
- Beets come in different types and colors. I would suggest not mixing them together in a jar as the red beet juice will affect the color of the other beets.
- Make sure to cover all the beets: in the brine solution when transferred to a jar. This will keep it as safe from bacteria build-up as possible.
- You can experiment with different flavor profiles: by adding other ingredients. For example, add some sliced onions and/or red pepper flakes to give it a bit of heat!
FAQs for Small Batch Pickled Beets
For best results, refrigerate the small batch pickled beets overnight, at the least. They will taste best as they mature, and the flavors have developed in 2 to 3 days.
As these beets did not go through a process of preservation and canning, I recommend finishing the jar in just a week. Keep them refrigerated at all times and always use a clean spoon when scooping portions out of the jar.
If you don’t have any fresh beets, you can definitely make beet pickles with canned beets. Because you don’t need to boil or roast the beets, the recipe will be easier to prepare. Simply place them in a jar with the brine and seal it.
Storage Instructions for Pickled Beets
Refrigerator: Pickled beets need to be refrigerated. I recommend finishing the jar in just a week. Keep them refrigerated at all times and always use a clean spoon when scooping portions out of the jar.
Serving Suggestions for Refrigerator Pickled Beets
Pickled beets are like pickles or other pickled condiments that you can enjoy alone or alongside many other dishes.
- Salads: Serve them on top of or alongside a fresh salad, like a leafy green salad, roasted sweet potato salad, spicy cucumber salad, green bean salad, coleslaw.
- Dips: Use as a festive garnish for hummus or white bean dip.
- Boards/platters: Enjoy them as part of appetizer spreads and charcuterie/vegan cheese boards.
- Sandwich: Layer them inside (or alongside) a tasty vegan sandwich, wrap, or vegan burger.
- Side Dishes: Use them to garnish and add color to a potato salad, vegan chickpea tuna salad, and pasta salads.
- Palate Cleanser: Eat one alone as a quick salty snack to satiate your taste buds, or eat in between other courses as a refreshing acidity to cleanse your palate.
More Ways to Enjoy Beets!
Vegan Desserts
Beet Energy Balls
Vegan Breakfasts
Quick Beet and Fruit Smoothie
Vegan Side Dishes
Vegan Roasted Beet Salad (With ‘Feta’ and Apple)
If you tried this small batch pickled beets recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
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Small Batch Pickled Beets
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Ingredients
- 1 pound of beets, trimmed
- 1 cup of apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup of water
- ⅓ cup of granulated sugar
- 10 cloves of garlic
Instructions
- Place the beets in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until beets are fork-tender.
- Strain beets in colander and rinse with cold water until cool enough to handle.
- Peel beets. Slice into 1/4" rounds. Place beets into a quart-size mason jar or bowl.
- In a large saucepan, (just use the same one — no need to wash in between) combine vinegar, water, sugar, and garlic cloves.
- Heat over medium until mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat and pour vinegar mixture over beets.
- Let beets sit until they are room temperature and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy!
- Pickled beets should keep in the fridge for about a week.
Notes
- Use plastic gloves and an apron when handling the beets. It’s not easy to remove the juice stains from your skin or clothes, especially once they have dried out.
- Beets come in different types and colors. I would suggest not mixing them together in a jar as the red beet juice will affect the color of the other beets.
- Make sure to cover all the beets: in the brine solution when transferred to a jar. This will keep it as safe from bacteria build-up as possible.
- You can experiment with different flavor profiles: by adding other ingredients. For example, add some sliced onions and/or red pepper flakes to give it a bit of heat!
In your description and pictures, you talk about adding cloves of garlic but in the ingredient list it says whole cloves but no garlic cloves. I’m used to putting cloves in my beets as did my Mom but am not sure if your recipe calls for both or not? Could you clarify for me?
Sorry about that! Garlic cloves is correct. Enjoy! 🙂
I have enough beets for 2 or 3 jars and would like to preserve them for longer than a few weeks. Can I process them as I would in my canning pot using this recipe? Can I double or triple this recipe??
feel free to double or triple the recipe, enjoy!
You don’t give the amounts of the ingredients, vinegar, spices, sugar, water etc
Hi Jeanette! It’s listed in the recipe card 🙂 Let me know if you have any trouble with seeing it!
Never had pickled beets looks delicious though
They’re so nutritious! Hope you give them a try!
I really like adding these to sandwiches!
It’s a great way to bring some extra flavor to your dishes!